Machine for ironing insulating material around the straight arms of coils of electric machines and apparatus



Aug. 2, 1966 w SCHEFFLER ET AL 3,263,301 MACHINE FOR IRONING INSULATINGMATERIAL AROUND THE STRAIGHT ARMS OF COILS OF ELECTRIC MACHINES ANDAPPARATUSES Filed Dec. 10, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS S CHEF/1f?Aug. 2, 1966 3, w, scHEFFLER ET AL 3,263,301

MACHINE FOR IRONING INSULATING MATERIAL AROUND THE STRAIGHT ARMS OFCOILS OF ELECTRIC MACHINES AND APPARATUSES Filed Dec. 10, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORY G EKHA k0 Ff/FFFLgQ k e4 EMM Aug. 2, 1966 G. w.SCHEFFLER ET L 3,263,301

MACHINE FOR IRONING INSULATING MATERIAL AROUND THE STRAIGHT ARMS 0FCOILS OF ELECTRIC MACHINES AND APPARATUSES Filed Dec. 10, 1963 5Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,263,301 MACHINE FOR IRONINGINSULATING MATERIAL AROUND THE STRAIGHT ARMS 0F COILS OF ELECTRICMACHINES AND APPARATUSES Gerhard W. Schefiier and Karl A. J. Brand,L'ubeck, Germany, assignors to Heinrich Schiirnann, Luheck, GermanyFiled Dec. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 329,412 Claims priority, applicationGermany, Dec. 15, 1962, Sch 32,479 15 Claims. (Cl. 29-90) The presentinvention relates to a machine for applying heated pressing irons toinsulating material which extends along the straight portion of awinding or coil to be included in electrical machinery such as motors,generators or other apparatus.

The machine comprises annular members each having a radial slot whichmay be aligned with the slots of the other members to permit theinsertion or removal of the coil to be ironed. The straight portion ofthe coil to be ironed is fixedly positioned at the common axis of theannular members by suitable chucks and opposed cooperating ironingmembers simultaneously apply oppositely directed pressures to theinsulation at opposite sides of the straight portion of the coil.

One of the annular members is positively driven and another member isbraked. Pivoted levers carried by one of the members apply an ironingpressure the magnitude of which is determined by the braking force. Thelevers are provided with sector gears which cooperate with differentialgearing, whereby a common equalized ironing pressure is appliedsimultaneously to both ironing members notwithstanding the fact that thecoil may be some what eccentrically positioned or may have major surfaceirregularities. The amount of ironing pressure may be substantiallyinstantaneously adjusted by control of the braking action as the ironingmembers progress around the lateral surface of the coil insulation.

The positive action of the braking mechanism and differential gearingavoids the need for any resilient connections to the ironing members anda positively controlled ironing pressure is obtained at all times.

The invention is described in greater detail in the followingspecification with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a parthereof.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a machine embodying theinvention, the view being partly broken away and shown in section toillustrate details of construction.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a stationary chuck for holdingthe coil, the coil being shown in transverse section.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan sectional view of a modification whereinadditional differential gearing is provided to compensate for axialmisalignment of the coil in addition to eccentricity.

FIGURE 5 is a schematic perspective view additionally illustrating camactuated means for controlling the braking action.

The machine comprises a housing 2 in which a support ring 2a isjournalled. This support ring is provided with a transverse slot 6serving to pass the coil arm 5 therethrough. Double armed levers arepivotally supported on this support ring 2a by diametrically oppositelylocated pivot shafts 7 and 8. The heated pressing members or ironingjaws 3 and 4 are pivotally mounted on the inner free ends of the leverarms 10. The outer ends of the lever arms 10 are formed as sector gears9. Each of the sector gears 9 meshes with teeth 21 or 21:: formed torotate about an axis disposed normally on two individual drive members20 and 20a, respectively, which are suitably journalled slotted ringsconcentrically arranged with respect to the support ring 2a. Both drivemember, or rings 20, 20a respectively, are coupled by differential gears22 which mesh with bevel gear teeth 23 formed on confronting sides ofthe rings 20 and 20a. The bevel gear teeth 23 need extend only over aportion of the circumference of each ring 20 or 20a since the relativemovement of the rings with respect to each other is very small. Thedifferential gears 22 are journalled in a central drive ring 24 which isalso transversely slotted at 6 and comprises outer teeth 25 meshing withthe intermediate drive gears 26 (FIG. 5). The intermediate drive gears26 are arranged in one plane adjacent to each other so as to drivinglybridge the slot in the drive ring 24 and are in continuous meshingengagement with a common drive gear 260 connected to the drive motor(not shown).

When the ironing jaws 3 and 4 are rotating around the chucked coil arm5, possible eccentricities of the arm 5, or of the chuck (FIG. 3) may becompensated for without the need for springs between the sector gears 9and the ironing jaws 3, 4. In addition it is also possible to chuck thecoil arm 5 eccentrically intentionally, whereby it is possible to useprecisely positioned stationary nonadjustable abutment angles 27 (FIG.3), thereby assuring that the axis of the coil arm 5 is always disposedexactly in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of the machine,since the imaginary connecting line of these nonadjustable abutments maybe aligned exactly in parallel relation to the axis of rotation. Bymeans of this alignment, a substantially uniformly distributed ironingpressure is obtained along the entire portion of the length of the coil5 which engages the ironing jaws.

In the modification of FIG. 4, the supporting shafts, which carry theironing jaws by means of lever arms, are divided into two axiallyaligned separate portions which extend from opposite sides of thesupport ring, and each sector gear engaging a drive ring 20 or 24 isdrivingly connected by differential gearing with each of the alignedseparate shafts 7a, 7b. Corresponding shafts 8a, 8b have been omittedfrom the drawing. In FIG. 4 the support ring is designated 2a, thehousing of the machine 2, the drive ring 24, and the single ironing jawwhich is illustrated is designated 4. The other ironing jaw 3 and coil 5are not shown. The supporting shaft 7 of FIG. 1 for the lever arms 10 ofthe double armed levers carrying the ironing jaw 4 is in this caseseparated into two separate axially aligned shafts 7a and 712. These twohalf shafts are connected with the sector gear 9, which engages thedrive ring 24, or the ring 200 respectively by individual differentialgearing. The gear segment 9 for each of ironing jaws 3 and 4 forms theother arm of the above mentioned double arm lever.

The differential gearing is formed by a bevel gear transmissioncomprising a gear case 34 concentrically arranged at the adjacent endsof the aligned shafts 7a, 7b. Within the gear case 34 two differentialgears 35 are supported with respect to the common axis of the shafts 7aand 7b. The adjacent ends of shafts 7a and 7b carry bevel gears 36meshing with the differential gears 35. The gear segment 9 is suitablysecured to this differential gear case 34, as by a pin 37.

The gear case 34 is rotatably supported on the ends of the shafts 7a, 7bby suitable bearings (not shown). The shafts in turn are journalled insuitable bearings, for example needle bearings 38, mounted in thesupport ring 2a. In FIG. 4 the pair of drive members 20 and 20a operateeffectively as a unit, so that upon positively driven movement of thedrive ring 24 and a slight braking of the support ring 2a, a moment isexented upon the sector gears 9 and the gear cage 34 which is uniformlytransmitted via the ends of the shafts 7a and 7b to the lever arms 10,thereby obtaining at both ends of each ironing Jaws the same engagingpressure against .a chucked coil arm.

In order to maintain the engaging pressure of the ironing aws during theentire operating time of the machine at a desired magnitude, the supportring 2a is, in accordance with the invention, subjected to brakingaction by an adjustable brake. This brake may be of any type, however,it is advantageous to apply the braking action not directly to thesupport ring proper, but to couple it with the support ring byintermediate members in order to permit the geneated friction heat to bedissipated in a better man her. In the embodiment according to FIG. 1,for example, gears 28 and 29 are provided for this purpose meshing withthe teeth 2b of the support ring 2a, and being arranged in a commonplane side by side. On the other hand these two gears are in continuousmeshing engagement with a common gear 30 provided with the schematicallyillustrated brake assembly 31. The arrangement of the pair of gears 28and 29 assures a continuous meshing with teeth 2b of the support ring 2anotwithstanding the interruption caused 'by the slot 6.

The brake assembly 31 connected with the gear 30, or its shaftrespectively may be any type of adjustable brake, such as a mechanicalbrake, an electromagnetic brake, or an electric induction brake, whichlatter may readily be adjusted with regard to its braking force by apotentiometer.

However, there still remains the disadvantage that the specific surfacepressure of the ironing jaws with regard to the coil arms increases atthose locations where the ironing jaws do not contact the coil arm withtheir entire surface as, for example, is the case at the corners of thecoil, especially at the small sides of the coil.

In order to over-come this drawback, .a control element may be movedsynchronously with the rotation of the ironing jaws, to act upon theadjustable brake 31, so as to reduce the brake action in the desiredpositions of the ironing jaws relative to the coil arm 5. Thus, highpressure per unit of area at the corners of the coil arm and at itsnarrow sides which are not engaged by the entire surface of the ironingjaws is prevented.

To cause a control member to follow the movement of the ironing jaws 3and 4 it is necessary, to transfer the movement, or the rotationrespectively, of the support ring 2a carrying the ironing jaws to thecontrol member in such a manner that it will move, for example rotate,synchronously with the rotation of the ironing jaws. The position of theironing jaws at the coil arm will then always be indicated exactly bythe control member, so that it may be provided with control cams, or thelike, in the position in which the ironing jaws are not contacting thecoil arm with their total surface. These control cams, or the like, ofthe control member always contact a stationary switch, a sensingelement, or the like, exactly at that moment when the ironing jaws arepositioned at the coil corners, or the defined locations respectively.

The transfer of the rotating movement of the support ring 2a may beachieved directly by a gear 40 (FIG. 5) meshing with gears 26b carriedby the drive gears 26, since the drive ring 24 rotates substantiallysynchronously with the support ring 2a. It is merely necessary toprovide a suitable gear reduction so that the gear 40 rotates with thesame speed as the support ring 2a.

The above mentioned control member may be connected directly to the gear40, or its shaft respectively. This control member may advantageously beconnected as a mechanically acting member which also controls amechanicallyxo-perated brake. But evidently any other transfer means maybe used for the control movement.

However, since with regard to the adjustability, as well as constantbrake action etc. an electromagnetic or an induction brake is bestsuited, an electric switching arrange- 4 ment is used according to theinvention controlling the exciting voltage of this brake.

A disc 41, a roller, or the like serving as control member is connectedto the gear 40. This disc 41 is provided with the mentioned controlcams, or in the case of the embodiment shown as an example, withrecesses 42. The disc either influences mechanically, or in aninductive, or optical manner a switch 43, for example a slot actuatedswitch. By means of this switch 43 the voltage of a curcurent source 45is controlled through relay means 44 which is to be fed to the inductionbrake 3-1.

For adjusting the desired brake action the exciting voltage is set by acontrol member. In order to reduce the exciting voltage to apredetermined value a second adjustable control member may be providedwhich is switched on instead of the first control member by a suitablerelay, or the like, as indicated .at 44, whenever one of the slots orrecesses 42 passes the switch 43. Thereby it is possible to separatelyadjust desired brake actions for those portions of the coil arm in whichthe ironing jaws are contacting the arm with their total surface, or forthose portions in which they contact the arm with merely part of theirsurface.

The slots 42 in the disc 41 are, of course, arranged in such a mannerthat their width and spacings correspond to the configuration of thecoil arm 5.

According to the invention it is possible to maintain an exactly uniformsurface pressure during the entire rotation of the ironing jaws and notonly reduce the contacting pressure of the ironing jaws at definedlocations. This may be achieved by means of a control member formed inaccordance with a mathematical function computed exactly incorrespondence with the configuration of the coil arm.

When considering a complete rotation of 360 of the ironing jaws, thesurface pressure per unit area proceeds from a defined value at thebroad side of the coil arm towards the corner in a steep manner, thentowards a narrow side somewhat decreasingly etc., approximatelyaccording to a cycloid. Therefore, the control member should operateaccording to such curve and should control the exciting voltage of thebrake exactly inversely.

The control member, or the disc 41 respectively, may of course beexchanged. It may also be adjustable and adaptable to different coildimensions.

What we claim is:

1. A rotary machine for ironing insulating material around therectangularly shaped straight arm portions of coils for electricmachines comprising centrally located chucking means stationarilymaintaining said coil arm substantially aligned with the axis ofrotation of saidmachine; a transversely slotted annular support membersubstantially coaxially encompassing said coil arm and pivotallysupporting a pair of double armed levers on diametrically opposed pivotshafts extending in parallel relation to the axis of rotation; each ofsaid double armed levers having at least one arm extending toward saidaxis of rotation; a pair of heated ironing jaws carried by the free endsof said inwardly extending lever arms for pivotal movement around axesextending in parallel relation to said axis of rotation, said ironingjaws engaging said coil arm with said insulating material disposedtherebetwcen in opposed relation; a pair of axially spaced intermediatedrive members each being provided with an inner toothed section disposeddiametrically with respect to each other and each being in mesh with asector gear formed on the other outwardly extending arms of said pair ofdouble armed levers, said meshing engagement allowing said pair ofdouble armed levers to pivot around their pivotal axes thereby causing arelative rotational movement between said annular support means and saidpair of intermediate drive members; a transversely slotted main drivering coaxially encompassing said intermediate pair of drive members anddrivingly coupled with said pair of intermediate drive members bydifferential gear means allowing relative rotational movement of saidintermediate drive members with respect to each other therebycompensating for asymmetrical movements of said pair of double armedlevers caused by misaligned or asymmetrically shaped coil arms; anddrive means for rotating said main drive ring.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said differential gear meanscomprises bevel gears rotatably supported by said main drive ring andsimultaneously engaging cooperating bevel gear teeth formed inconfronting side walls of said axially spaced intermediate drivemembers.

3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the out- Wardly extendingarms of said pair of double armed levers provided with said sector gearsare rigidly connected to the inwardly extending arms carrying saidironing jaws.

4. A machine according to claim 1, wherein each of said pair of doublearmed levers includes two inwardly extending lever arms carrying saidironing jaws, said pivot shafts carrying said double armed levers eachcomprising two separate axially aligned portions disposed at oppositesides of said annular support member, said sector gears each engaging aninner toothed section of said intermediate drive means, saidintermediate drive means being formedby a pair of transversely slottedrings and each sector gear being connected simultaneously to the twoaligned portions of one of said pivot shafts by further differentialgear means.

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein bevel gears are mounted onthe confronting ends of the aligned portions of said pivot shafts, saidbevel gears meshing with further bevel gears rotatably supported in acage member, said cage member being rotatably supported on said alignedportions of said shafts and rigidly connected to the particular leverarm provided with said sector gear.

6. A machine according to claim 1, further comprising adjustable brakemeans acting to restrain rotation of said annular support means therebydetermining the contract pressure between said ironing jaws and saidcoil arm.

7. A machine according to claim 6, wherein said brake 6 means are formedby an adjustable electric induction brake.

8. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said transversely slottedannular support means is a spur gear meshing with two circumferentiallyspaced pinions, so as to drivingly bridge said slot, said pinionsmeshing with a common gear cooperating with adjustable brake means.

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein a control member is providedsynchronously rotating with said ironing jaws and acting upon saidadjustable brake to reduce the brake action in a desired position ofsaid ironing jaws relative to said coil arm.

10. A machine according to claim 9, wherein said brake is of theelectrically operated type, and wherein said control membersynchronously rotating with said ironing jaws actuates electrical switchmeans causing a reduction in the exciting voltage of the brake when thesurfaces of the ironing jaws are merely partly engaging said coil arm.

11. A machine according to claim 9, wherein the brake action of saidadjustable brake is controlled by said control member during therotation of said ironing jaws in accordance with a mathematical functionto which said control member may be set.

12. A machine accord-ing to claim 11, wherein said control member isformed by a disc for actuating electric switch means.

13. A machine according to claim 12, wherein said electric switch meansis a slot initiator.

14. A machine according to claim 10, wherein the eX citing voltage ofsaid electrically operated switch is adjustable by two independentcontrol means which may selectively be short circuited by said switch.means.

15. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said chucking means for saidcoil arm comprises two stationary axially spaced abutment angles, bothof said abutment angles being precisely aligned in parallel relation tothe longitudinal axes of said ironing jaws.

No references cited.

RICHARD H. EANES, JR., Primary Examiner.

1. A ROTARY MACHINE FOR IRONING INSULATING MATERIAL AROUND THERECTANGULARLY SHAPED STRAIGHT ARM PORTIONS OF COILS FOR ELECTRICMACHINES COMPRISING CENTRALLY LOCATED CHUCKING MEANS STATIONARILYMAINTAINING SAID COIL ARM SUBSTANTIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE AXIS OFROTATION OF SAID MACHINE; A TRANSVERSELY SLOTTED ANNULAR SUPPORT MEMBERSUBSTANTIALLY COAXIALLY ENCOMPASSING SAID COIL ARM AND PIVOTALLYSUPPORTING A PAIR OF DOUBLE ARMED LEVERS ON DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED PIVOTSHAFTS EXTENDING IN PARALLEL RELATION TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION; EACH OFSAID DOUBLE ARMED LEVERS HAVING AT LEAST ONE ARM EXTENDING TOWARD SAIDAXIS OF ROTATION; A PAIR OF HEATED IRONING JAWS CARRIED BY THE FREE ENDSOF SAID INWARDLY EXTENDING LEVER ARMS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT AROUND AXESEXTENDING IN PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID AXIS OF ROTATION, SAID IRONINGJAWS ENGAGING SAID COIL ARM WITH SAID INSULATING MATERIAL DISPOSEDTHEREBETWEEN IN OPPOSED RELATION; A PAIR OF AXIALLY SPACED INTERMEDIATEDRIVE MEMBERS EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INNER TOOTHED SECTION DISPOSEDDIAMETRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND EACH BEING IN MESH WITH ASECTOR GEAR FORMED ON THE OTHER OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ARMS OF SAID PAIR OFDOUBLE ARMED LEVERS, SAID MESHING ENGAGEMENT ALLOWING SAID PAIR OFDOUBLE ARMED LEVERS TO PIVOT AROUND THEIR PIVOTAL AXES THEREBY CAUSING ARELATIVE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID ANNULAR SUPPORT MEANS AND SAIDPAIR OF INTERMEDIATE DRIVE MEMBERS; A TRANSVERSELY SLOTTED MAIN DRIVERING COAXIALLY ENCOMPASSING SAID INTERMEDIATE PAIR OF DRIVE MEMBERS ANDDRIVINGLY COUPLED WITH SAID PAIR OF INTERMEDIATE DRIVE MEMBERS BYDIFFERENTIAL GEAR MEANS ALLOWING RELATIVE ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT OF SAIDINTERMEDIATE DRIVE MEMBERS WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER THEREBYCOMPENSATING FOR ASYMMETRICAL MOVEMENTS OF SAID PAIR OF DOUBLE ARMEDLEVERS CAUSED BY MISALIGNED OR ASYMMETRICALLY SHAPED COIL ARMS; ANDDRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID MAIN DRIVE RING.